College Football Playoff Contender Loses Key Playmaker Via Transfer Portal
It was an amazing season for the SMU Mustangs and head coach Rhett Lashlee, who shocked many by going 11-3 and 8-0 in ACC matchups, leading them to enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 11 seed.
They would of course, end up losing to No. 6 Penn State, but they now hold some high expectations entering 2025, with ESPN BET giving them the fourth-best odds (+600) to win their conference.
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Unfortunately, they have been one team that's taken some pretty big hits from the transfer portal and on Monday received more bad news in the form of running back LJ Johnson, who is now in search of a new program.
Johnson had originally started his collegiate career with the Texas A&M Aggies in 2021 and in his first two seasons appeared in 10 games, accumulating just 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
After the 2022 season, he found a home with the Mustangs, where he saw an increased role and in the past two years has made 24 appearances, running the ball 183 times for 879 yards and nine touchdowns.
SMU Mustangs running back LJ Johnson Jr. (11) and Temple Owls safety Tywan Francis (19).Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Coming out of high school, Johnson was a big piece of Texas A&M's 2021 recruiting class, with On3 industry rankings placing him as a four-star prospect, the No. 5 running back and the No. 57 player in the nation.
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Now, though, he's just the latest player from SMU to hit the transfer portal, joining big names such as three-star cornerback Jahari Rogers, three-star quarterback Preston Stone and three-star defensive lineman Omari Abor.
Related: SEC Powerhouse Suffers 12th Transfer Portal Loss on Friday
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